Intermittent feed mechanism



June 16, 1931. w, DIETER 1,810,645

INTERMITTENT FEED MECHANISM Filed Oct. 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR 1 By Attorneys, 7

June 16, 1931. w D|ETE INTERMITTENT FEED MECHANISM Filed Oct. 15, 1927 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR By l ltlomeys aHmu-a WW 6 June 16, 1931. w.DIETER 1,810,645

INTERMITTENT FEED MECHANISM Filed 001;. 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet sINVENTOR:

By Attorneys,

aka/ 01, WW w Patented June 16, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAMDIETER, F NEWARK, NEW ERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 E. w. BLISS COMPANY, or rBROOKLYN, NEW; YORK, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

INTERMITTENT FEED MECHANISM Application filed October 15, 1927. s erial'No. 226,416.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a machine of thischaracter for' which my invention is applied,

Figure 1 is a plan of the machine partly broken away.

Fig. Qis a transverse" section on the line 22 of Fig; 1. i Y

Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section.

Fig. 5 is a perspective showing one of the series of trays.

Fig. 6 is a view showing certain of the parts in Fig. 4 in differentpositions.

Fig. 7' is a similar view showingother parts. H

Fig. 8 isa fragmentary view, being an enlargement of Fig. 4: with theparts in a different position. I I To enable the new feed. motion of myinvention to be better understood I will first 35. describe the fillingmachine, which forms no part of my invention.

Mounted on a main frame A is a tankB beneath-which are moved trays (3,0(one of which is shown in Fig. 5) containing recep- 40 taoles or cups a,a to be filled with the liquid 7) contained in the tank B. With theproporj tions shown, the trays carry each a succession of rows of thereceptacles a, a In the bottom of the tank B is a row of filling spoutsc passing through the bottom of the tank so that when any onerow ofreceptaclesis beneath thesespouts the material may be discharged throughthe spoutsinto the receptacles. In operation, with one row ofreceptacles beneath the spouts, these receptacles are filledgthen thetray is advanced to bring the next row of receptacles beneath thespouts, andthese in turn are filled; and so on until all thereceptaclesare filled. The means for discharging the material through the spoutsforms no'part of this invention, but in the construction best shown inFigs. 4 and 8 it comprises a series of pumps D and a slide E havingthrough it a series of ports d. Each pump. has acylinder or pump chamber6 above the. port 65 and a plunger f moving in this cylin-' der.- Theparts d, e, 7 correspond in number and arrangement with the spouts 0. Inoperation, when the slide E is displaced, as shown in Fig. 4, theplunger f is lifted, there by sucking liquid up through the ports 03intothe pump chambers; the slide is then moved tothe' position shown inFig. 8, when the 'plungers descend, forcing the material from the pumpchambers down through the spouts 0 into the receptacles. These movementsare imparted by a suitable arrangement of connecting rods and leverswhereby motion is taken from cams F on a shaft G (Fig. 4) This mechanismis obvious from the drawings, and as it forms no part of my invention requires no description.

, Those parts of the machine which involve the'embodiment of myinvention will now be described.

An endless conveyorflH is carried over pulleys J, J on shafts K, Khaving bearingsat Opposite ends of the main frame A. Any suitable sortof endless conveyor may be provided,'such.a belt, cord, rope or chain. Acon- 'veyor consisting of two ropes (preferably wire'ropes) 'is'shown.By means of power suitably applied, this conveyor is driven continuouslyat a sufficient speed. The function of the conveyor is to propel thereceptacles under the spouts of the filling mechanism.

In the case of small receptacles these are. best has end frames g, gwhich project beyond its ends and rest upon the ropes. They arepreferably formed with notches engaging the ropes, as shown in Fig. 5.Thus the weight of the trays and their contents affords a frictionalengagement whereby the conveyor acts to propel the trays at a suitablespeed whenever they are free to travel.

The feed mechanism performs the function of holding the trays and theircontained receptacles stationary during the filling periods and thenreleasing them so that they may be carried along by the conveyor whilethe pumps are recharging with material preparatory to the next fillingperiod. This result is accomplished by stop devices which areencountered by the trays and whereby they are held stationary at therequired intervals and then released and permitted to move forward forthe necessary distance to bring the next row of receptacles under thefilling spouts; and so on so long as the receptacles are required to befilled. The stops are so located as to accomplish this result and areoperated synchronously with the filling mech anism.

hile the stop mechanism is subject to some variation according toconditions, I will describe the particular construction shown as thepreferred example embodying my in- .vention.

The stop mechanism comprises two stops L and M; the stop L engages theframes 9 of the trays; the stop m engages the free or advancing ace ofthe trays. With trays having end frames 9', as shown in Fig. 5, andwhich trays are of considerable length, it is best to provide two stopsL, L, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so located as to engage the framesgbeyond the ends of the trays. These stops are formed on lever armsprojecting from a shaft L which has an arm Z connected by a rod is to acam P on the shaft K, this connection being as shown in Fig. 6. The camgives to the stop L a swinging movement from the position shown in Figs.4 and 8 to that shown in Fig. 6.

The stop M is also preferably duplicated because of the use of longtrays C so that the two stops abut the trays near their opposite ends,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The stops M are movable to differentpositions in the line of travelof the trays, these positions beingseparated by a distance equal to the separation of the rows of thereceptacles. In Fig. 6 three positions marked 2, 3 and a are shown. Thestops are on arms fixed on a floating shaft M, and one of them isconnected by a link at to a cam Q on the shaft K. The floating shaft Mis carried on arms a, n on a rock shaft 0 having an arm 9 connected by arod 9 to a cam R- (Fig. 7) also on the shaft K. The function of themechanism shown in Fig. 7 is to give a descending move ment to the stopsM, M so as to bring them beneath the trays and thereby permit the trayhaving filled receptacles to be rapidly fed away by the carrier H, asshown at C in Fig. 4, to any suitable point of delivery where the traymay be lifted out.

The operation will now be described with reference to the particularproportions illustrated in the drawings, that is to say, for trays Ccarrying each four rows of receptacles a so that each tray requires tobe advanced first to the position for filling the first row ofreceptacles; second, to a. position for filling the second row; third toa. position for filling the third row; fourth, to a position for fillingthe fourth row; and then to be released so that the tray may be carriedforward freely to the position C, The function of the stop L is toarrest each of the successive trays in the position for filling itsfirst row of receptacles, this being the position shown in F land 8. Atthis time the stops M are in their most advanced position, that isclosest to the tray and separated from it by a distance equal to theouter diameter of the individual receptacles. At the end of theoperation of filling the first row of re ceptacles, the stops L swingforward to the position shown in Fig. 6, thereby releasing the framesg'and permitting the traction of the traveling conveyor H to propel thetray (and equally all following trays) forward one space until arrestedby the stationary stops This completes the first feed, and the tray nowremains stationary while the second row of receptacles is being filled.Thereupon, the stops M execute a retrograde movement (that is, in thedirection of travel of the conveyor) from the position 2 in Fig. 6 tothe position 3; this brings the third row of receptacles under thespouts 0, so that these receptacles are then filled. Thereupon the stopsM execute a second retrograde movement to the position 4, which permitsthe tray to advance until the fourth row of receptacles is under thespouts 0. Meanwhile (and at any time after the frames 9 of the first andsecond trays have passed over them) the stops L have swung back to theposition shown in Fig. 8; during this movement the stops rise within theclear space beyond the ends of the second tray and between the front andrear sides of its frames 9, going into position to encounter the rearsides of these frames when the first row of receptacles in the next trayis'in the filling position. When the fourth row of receptacles in thefirst tray has been filled, this tray is released by the dropping of thestops 1 to the lower position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, wherebythe stops are brought beneath the tray and the latter is thereby setfree and is carried rapidly to the position C. This latter movement isaccompanied by'a corresponding advance of the next following or secondtray. but only so far as to bring its frame 9 against the stops L.

space which must be bridged by a more ample feed movement between thefourth and the first filling positions. By locating the stops L so as toarrest each tray in the position for filling the first row ofreceptacles and causing the stops M to control the filling positions forthe second, third and fourth rows, the jump feed required between thefourth and first rows is readily and accurately provided for.

With trays holding four rows of receptacles, the shaft G operating thefilling mechanism makes four revolutions to one revolution of the shaftK which operates the feeding mechanism. This proportion must be alteredfor every different proportion and arrangement of receptacles.

It is preferable to make the pulleys J of such diameter as to impart tothe conveyor H a rate of travel considerably more rapid than the rate offeed between the rows of receptacles; a rate of travel from five toseven times the rate of feed is found suitable, but

may be varied as desired. To keep the upper side of the conveyor ropes Htaut, it is desirable to use tension rollers r, r pressed upward by anysuitable means.

The machine is shown as propelled from a belt pulley 8 having gearedconnection to a longitudinal shaft 25 and thence through a verticalshaft u for driving the shaft G through miter gears, the same shaft tcarrying a. bevel pinion for driving a bevel gear on the shaft K. Aclutch lever 11 may operate any suitable clutch for stoppingthe drivewhen desired.

It will be obvious that the feed stop mechanism of my invention may begreatly varie'd. receptacles to be filled and of trays for carrying suchreceptacles requires specially proportioned driving means. While it ispreferred that the stops L control the initial positioning of thereceptacles and that the sub- Each different size and proportion ofpositions) or any other practicable arrangement for positioning theparts in their required successive locations may be adopted; thesematters of proportions and detail being within the skill of the mechanicor engineer.

Consequently, it is to be understood that second stoppingposition, andone of said stops movable to another position to arrest the object at athird stopping position.

2. A feed mechanism according to. claim 1, one of the stops movable inthe direction of t a-vel of the objects between successive stoppingpositions thereof.

3. A feed mechanismaccording to claim 1, one stop movableinto and out ofthe path of movement of the objects, and the other mova is in thedirection oftheir travel and also out of their path of travel.

a. A feed mechanism according to claim 1, one of the stops movableintoand out of the path oftravel of the object, and the other movable in thedirection of their travel to a plurality of successive stoppingpositions,

and movable also out of their path of travel.

0. A feed mechanism comprising means for engaging a series of objects tobe fed to impart to them a tendency to travel in a di rection of feed,and stops adapted to arrest the foremost object and thereby hold backthe following objects, one stop adapted to initially arrest the foremostobject in a stopping position, and. the other stop adapted on therelease of the object by the first-named stop to arrest it at a secondstopping position, and one of said stops movable in the direction offeed to permit the advance of the object and to arrest it at a thirdstopping I position. r

6. A feed mechanism comprising means for engaging a series of objectstobe fed to impart to them a. tendency to travel in a direction-of feed,and stops adapted to arrest the foremost object andv thereby hold backthe following objects, one stop adapted to initially arrestthe foremostobjects in a stopping position, and another stop adapted on its releaseby the'first-named stop to arrest it at a second stopping position andmovable 1n the direction of feed to permit the advance of the object andto arrest it at a la ter stopping position.

l. A feed mechanism comprlslng a travel- 1ng conveyor, a series ofobjects to be fed restin on said conveyor so that they tend to travelwith it, and stops movable into the path of travel of said objects toarrest the foremost object in a stopping position, one of said stopsmovable in the direction of the feed to permit the advance of the objectand to stop it at a lat-er stopping position, and to release it and movebackward to engage the next followingobject.

8. A feed mechanism according to claim 7, the stops relatively arrangedand adapted so that the first arrest-s the foremost object in a firststopping position and then releases it, and the second arrests it in asecond stopping position and then moves in the direction of feed topermit its advance, and stops to arrest the object in a later stoppingposition.

9. A feed mechanism according to claim 7, the stops relatively arrangedand adapted so that the first arrests the foremost object in a lirststopping position and then releases it, and the second arrests it in asecond stopping position and then moves to permit its feed to a thirdstopping position where it arrests it.

10. A feed mechanism according to claim 7, the stops formed on arms, andcams con neeted to move said arms, adapted to move said stopsreciprocally into and out of the path of travel of the objects, wherebyeach object is controlled by the stops in successsion to arrestit insuccessive stopping positions.

11. A feed mechanism comprising a traveling conveyor, a series of traysresting on said conveyor, and stops adapted to arrest the foremost trayin a primary stopping position and to control its advance to a laterstopping position, said stops adapted to engage respectively dilierentportions of the trays one in advance of the other.

12. A feed mechanism comprising a traveiing conveyor, a series of traysresting on said conveyor, said trays having projecting frames and stopsadapted to arrest the travel of said trays in successive stoppingpositions, one stop engaging such frame at the rear of the tray and theother stop engaging the front of the tray.

13. A feed mechanism comprising a traveling conveyor, a series ofobjects to be fed esting on said conveyor so that they tend to travelwith it, and stops for arresting the foremost of said objects insuccessive stopping positions, one of said stops movable bothlongitudinally and vertically whereby it may arrest the objects atsuccessive points in their travel and may descend beneath the objects topermit them to be carried away.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

V-YILLIAM DIETER.

